Philadelphia Office
1735 Market Street
21st Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7505
P: 215-772-7235
F: 215-772-7620
Biography
Mark B. Sheppard is co-chair of Montgomery McCracken’s White Collar Practice Group. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Enforcement and complex commercial civil litigation.
Mark has represented corporations, public officials and individuals in matters involving federal, state and administrative enforcement activity, including federal criminal investigations, SEC enforcement actions and government initiated civil proceedings. He also regularly counsels clients on conducting internal investigations and implementation of corporate compliance policies.
Mark also has a broad base of civil trial and appellate experience. He also regularly represents parties in complex commercial matters, including actions grounded in fraud and in connection with other business torts. He has tried a number of cases in both state and federal courts and argued appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme and Superior Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Recent bankruptcy litigation experience includes: (1) overseeing the investigation of and ultimately obtaining court approval to bring a $1.5 billion fraudulent conveyance/ breach of fiduciary duty claim against the debtor’s multi-national parent, and (2) co-lead trial counsel for asbestos creditor’s committee, resulting in a finding of estimated liability on the part of the debtor of in excess of $1.1 billion.
Selected Publications
Press
- Quoted in “From life in prison to parole in May: Philly juvenile lifer hopes for secondchance,” Metro US – Philadelphia, April 9, 2018
- Quoted in “Court fight brewing over medical marijuana facility,” The Times-Tribune, September 9, 2017
- Quoted in “Fights Over Medical Marijuana Licenses Land in Pa. Court,” The Legal Intelligencer, September 8, 2017
- Quoted in “Sparking a marijuana war: rival wants Pa. to drop grower under criminal investigation,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 8, 2017
- Noted in “Pa. Marijuana Grower Failed to Disclose Probe, Suit Says,” Law360, September 8, 2017
- Quoted in “Kids who killed could get a break,” The Standard-Speaker, August 13, 2017
- Quoted in “Ex-Philly DA’s Mid-Trial Plea Shows Fear Of Lengthy Sentence,” Law360, June 30, 3017
- Quoted in “Hafer’s Plea Deal a ‘Sensible’ Defense Strategy, Observers Say,” The Legal Intelligencer, June 13, 2017
- Quoted in “Defense lawyers voice concern about Amtrak charges,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 18, 2017
- Quoted in “Jury Finds Pa. State Sen. Not Guilty on Vote Buying Charges,” Law360, February 1, 2017
- Quoted in “Federal Jury Acquits Farnese in Bribery Case,” The Legal Intelligencer, February 1, 2017
- Noted in “Pennsylvania senator acquitted in ward election case,” Morning Times, February 1, 2017
- Noted in “State Sen. Larry Farnese Acquitted of Bribery Charges,” Philadelphia Magazine, February 1, 2017
- Quoted in “Farnese acquitted in federal fraud trial,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 1, 2017
- Quoted in “Lawyers make final pitches to jurors in Farnese’s federal fraud trial,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 30, 2017
- Quoted in “Pa. Pol’s Vote-Buying Charges Headed To Jury,” Law360, January 30, 2017
- Quoted in “Is federal fraud case against Farnese falling apart? Judge: ‘It’s terribly close’,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 27, 2017
- Quoted in “Farnese lawyer: If $6K payment harmed rival and consultant, where’s their outrage?,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 26, 2017
- Quoted in “Vote-Buying Charge Slammed As Pa. Politician’s Trial Opens,” Law360, January 24, 2017
- Quoted in “Farnese’s Lawyer: Feds Confuse Bribery With Politics,” The Legal Intelligencer, December 5, 2016
- Quoted in “After U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger departs, what’s next for white collar prosecutions?,” Philadelphia Business Journal, November 29, 2016
- Quoted in “PA Sen. Farnese files motion to dismiss bribery charges,” City & State PA, October 28, 2016
- Quoted in “Pa. Politician Moves to Toss Vote-Buying Indictment,” Law360, October 26, 2016
- Noted in “EFH Judge OKs Major Peace Deals In Ch. 11 Plan Fight ,” Law360, November 25, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Ch. 11 Exit Push Ends First Week With More Plan Praise,” Law360, November 6, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Judge Won’t Grant Bid To Delay Confirmation Hearing,” Law360, September 28, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Unsecured Creditors Push To Delay Ch. 11 Confirmation,” Law360, September 25, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Ch. 11 Confirmation Hearing Set For November,” Law360, August 25, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Judge To Weigh Plan For Rallying Stakeholders,” Law360, August 17, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Unsecured Creditors Balk At Hunt Deal To Exit Ch. 11,” Law360, August 11, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Gets OK To Set December Deadline For Asbestos Claims,” Law360, July 31, 2015
- Noted in “EFH Creditors Want Plan For Asbestos Claims Retooled,” Law360, June 30, 2015
- Noted in “Specialty Products Wins OK For $800M Asbestos Trust,” Law360, December 11, 2014
- Noted in “Specialty Products Gets Nod On Ch. 11 Disclosure Statement,” Law360, October 20, 2014
- Quoted, “Pa. Justices Win Turf Battle With CJD, ” The Legal Intelligencer, October 7, 2014
- Quoted, “Two Pa. Turnpike Scandal Defendants Get Chance to Avoid Criminal Records,” The Patriot-News, September 30, 2014
- Quoted, “Kane agrees to deals with two in Pa. Turnpike probe,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 29, 2014
- Quoted, “2 Turnpike Defendants Could See Charges Dropped,” The Associated Press, September 29, 2014
- Quoted, “Two Turnpike Defendants Offered ARD,” The Legal Intelligencer, September 29, 2014
- Quoted, “Pennsylvania Turnpike defendants challenge corruption evidence,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 19, 2014
- Quoted, “Defense lawyers rip prosecutors in Pa. turnpike corruption case, Philly.com, August 19, 2014
- Quoted, “Defense Lawyers in Turnpike Case Invoke ‘Kane Doctrine’ on Quid Pro Quo,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 15, 2014
- Quoted, “Cost of Pa. Turnpike ‘Pay-to-Play’ – About $45M,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 2, 2014
- Quoted, “Documents Suggest Turnpike Wasted Millions on Computer System,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 28, 2014
- Noted in “Specialty Products Asbestos Creditors Get OK To Sue Parent,” Law360, November 13, 2013
- Noted in “3rd Circ. Asked To Nix $1B Specialty Products Asbestos Appeal,” Law360, July 2, 2013
Publications
- Co-authored, “Tapping into Wall Street,” American Bar Association Criminal Justice Newsletter, January 2012
- Co-authored, “Wiretaps and Undercover Sting Operations: Are White Collar Defendants Ready?,” Financial Fraud Law Report, October 2010
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Presented testimony before the P.A. Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Effective Indigent Defense Legal Representation, April 2014
- Moderator, “White Collar Practice,” The Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, November 2013, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Presenter, “2013 For the Experienced,” The Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, October 2013, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Speaker, “Defending the White Collar Case,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute, March 2012
- Presented testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, The Thompson Memorandum’s Effect on the Right to Counsel in Corporate Investigations, September 2006
Community Involvement
- Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania
- Board of directors
- Executive Committee Member
- Mirmont Treatment Center
- Board of directors
- M. Patricia Carroll Fund
- Board of directors
Honors & Awards
- Named “Best of the Bar: Philadelphia’s Top Lawyers” by Philadelphia Business Journal (2017)
- Winner, Corporate Livewire Awards: Fraud & White Collar Crime (2016)
- Named to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2004 – 2018
- Included in a list of the Top 100 Lawyers in Pennsylvania by Super Lawyers, 2018
- Martindale Hubbell AV rated
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© – Criminal Defense: White Collar
Professional Activities & Achievements
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Joint State Government Commission’s Advisory Committee on the Philadelphia Court System
- American Bar Association
- White Collar Section
- Federal Bar Association
- White Collar Section
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- White Collar Section
- Lawyers Assistance Committee
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Past President
- Executive Committee Member
- Judge Pro Tempore for the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas
- Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing
Academic Achievements
Mark received a J.D. degree, with honors, from the Dickinson School of Law where he served on the Dickinson Law Review. He is a graduate from Lehigh University.